Vegetarian Japchae

Hello! I'm pleased to offer up on of my favorite Korean dishes for today's post: Japchae! While I usually have this with beef when I eat out, at home I rarely buy meat if I'm cooking for myself so this is a vegetarian version. This was so easy to put together that I really can't believe I've never tried it before. The only unusual ingredients are the noodles. Glass noodles are made from sweet potato so aren't your average pasta option. The texture is more chewy and slippery than regular noodles which might not sound delicious but trust me, it is. One tip I would suggest is to cut your noodles if they come folded over like mine as this makes them easier to eat. I snipped the folded end and left them otherwise intact.

Ingredients

Making friends in the pan

I had picked up these noodles the last time I was in the Korean shop and they've been sitting around in my cupboard ever since. So, I thought I'd give this recipe a go even though I didn't have shitake mushrooms, which are traditionally included. Normally you buy the dry mushrooms, soak them for 2 hours or so, wring out the water and slice. I substituted chestnut mushrooms since that's what I had in my fridge already and it was perfectly tasty. Other optional additions could be some spinach (boiled for a minute and rinsed) and bell pepper (thinly sliced). If you'd like to add in the beef, thinly slice a steak and saute with the onions. In the traditional recipes I've been reading, they often cook the ingredients individually and mix just before serving. I was impatient and therefore added all the ingredients into one pan and it still turned out ok... so it's up to you!

Noodles ready for cooking

Noodles after boiling

Finished product! 

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp sesame oil 

4 chestnut mushrooms, sliced 

1/2 a large carrot, thinly sliced

1/2 a yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 green onions

Handful of glass noodles

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

Sesame seeds 

Method: 

Splash the oils into a large saute pan and heat over medium high. Add the onions into the pan and saute until they start to soften. Next add the mushrooms and carrot, stirring regularly to allow them to cook evenly. When the mushrooms have started to soften, add the green onions and remove from the heat. Drizzle one tablespoon of soy sauce over the vegetables and set aside. Boil water in a medium pot and add the glass noodles. Allow to boil for 4-5 minutes, stirring to make sure all the noodles are submerged. The noodles are ready when they are soft and chewy. When finished, drain the noodles and add to the pan with the vegetables. Place the saute pan over a medium heat, add the remaining soy sauce and sugar and stir to incorporate. When the pan is sizzling again, it's ready! Serve in bowls and sprinkle sesame seeds over the top. Enjoy! 

Easy Kimchi

As my friend Sora can attest, I love me some kimchi. Every time we pop into a Korean restaurant, we have to have this as a mandatory side dish. I just think it's the most delicious thing out there. Anyway, I'd never really thought about making it at home (despite watching lots of videos online about different recipes etc) until I was faced with a massive surplus of cabbage after last month's food challenge. So, it seemed to be a pretty good time to give it a whirl. 

Kimchi! 

This recipe comes from Maangchi, like most of my Korean food attempts. It should be noted that this is "Emergency Kimchi" because she often makes this version when she's away from home and unable to get the more traditional Napa cabbage. Using regular white cabbage means the consistency is a bit different but this recipe is also a lot simpler than more traditional ones and therefore I think it's a pretty fair trade off. 

Recipe via www.maangchi.com 

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: N/A

Ingredients: 

2 pounds white cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup water

1/4 cup salt 

1 bunch, green onions, sliced 

1 carrot, chopped into match sticks

1 tbsp sugar

1/3 cup hot pepper flakes

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup minced garlic

Method: 

Mix the cabbage, water and salt and set aside for 10 minutes to let cabbage wilt a bit. Rinse thoroughly with water and set aside. In another bowl, mix the remaining ingredients until well combined before slowly adding the cabbage. Make sure all the cabbage is coated in the paste and move to an airtight container. Enjoy! 

Couscous Vegetarian "Bibimbap"

Ok, first things first, this is not bibimbap. It is "bibimbap". The difference being that this is in absolutely no way authentic Korean cuisine. In real bibimbap, the starch is rice and there are several distinct toppings, which are kept separate until the diner mixes them all together. These often include: beef, cucumber, carrot, and other vegetables. My version is probably unidentifiable to Korean cooking fans but it was still delicious and allowed me to use up all my leftovers without getting hopelessly bored of them. I had couscous on hand so I went ahead and used that. And actually, I think I might prefer it to the rice since it left me feeling less stodgy and made the dish so much lighter. The real key to this dish is the Korean chili paste. I've raved about it before but it really changes this dish and makes it distinct from a stir-fry or just couscous and vegetables (both of which are tasty dishes in their own right!). It adds a little heat and totally changes the flavor of the dish. Be careful though: a little goes a long way! Also, I bought it a few months ago and it's still going strong in the fridge so the investment (it's cheap but might be a bit of a pain to find) is definitely worth it.

Leftover veggies getting a Korean style makeover

Frying my egg

Couscous ready for toppings

Veggie layer goes on

Next: Fried egg and chopped raw bell pepper

Finally a fairly unattractive blob of sauce

Prep Time: 3 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of cooked couscous
1/2 - 1 cup of leftover grilled/roasted veggies
1 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp oil or butter
1 egg
1 tbsp red bell pepper, chopped
1 tbsp Korean chili paste
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp vinegar

Method:

Measure the couscous into a bowl. Boil water in a kettle or on the stove and pour over the couscous until the water level is about a centimeter above the grains. Cover the bowl with a plate and allow to steam for fifteen minutes until all the water is absorbed. Meanwhile, over medium heat, add the leftover vegetables to a pan and allow to reheat. Add the sesame seeds and sesame oil after a few minutes and toss to coat. Allow to saute a further few minutes until hot. In another pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and add the egg. Fry until it reaches your preferred consistency. Add the vegetables to the couscous and top with the fried egg and the bell pepper pieces. Finally, mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl and add to the couscous mix. With a spoon, mix the ingredients in your bowl to evenly distribute the egg and the chili sauce mix. Enjoy!

Mandu Dumplings

I have a confession to make. I LOVE DUMPLINGS. Basically to an unhealthy degree. So, I thought I should probably learn how to make them in order to save on take out. These ones were pretty tasty, although I used super lean meat so they were possibly a bit drier than they would normally be. Also, I definitely didn't use enough soy sauce so I'll be increasing the amount next time. One important point to note on this recipe is the number of dumplings it makes... which can be anywhere between 60 and 75 (I ended up with 74) depending on how much filling you manage to include in each dumpling. The good news is these are easily frozen, making them perfect for future dinners or parties! Just make sure you leave yourself plenty of time (or gather plenty of helpers!) for the wrapping stage...

Recipe found on: www.maangchi.com

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 20 min 

Servings: 60-75

Ingredients: 

1 cup Pork mince
2 cups Beef mince
1/2 package tofu, crumbled
1 package dried Shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated and chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 bunch chives, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Sesame oil
Soy sauce
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Gyoza or Wonton wrappers (approx: 70)
Oil for frying

Method:

Measure and mix the pork and beef mince together with a quick splash of sesame oil and place into a large mixing bowl. Next, drain the tofu, making sure to get as much water out as possible before crumbling. Add a sprinkling of sesame oil, salt and a little pinch of sugar and then place in the mixing bowl with the meat. Combine the chopped mushrooms and onion and add sesame oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper, then add to the main bowl. Finally, add the chives and garlic to the bowl and combine all the ingredients together until well mixed.

To fill the dumpling wrappers, place a wrapper in the palm of your hand and add a teaspoon of the filling mixture to the center (different wrappers will be able to accommodate a different amount of filling so a bit of experimentation is advised). With the tip of your finger, wet the outer edge all around the wrapper and bring the two sides to meet in the middle. Fold and pinch along the seal to ensure the dumplings will stay closed. For a useful video on how to do this like a pro (unlike me!), check out this one:

Finally, cook the dumplings by placing a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the dumplings and cook, turning frequently to ensure they brown all over. When satisfactorily brown, add a few tablespoons of water to the pan (carefully - it will splatter a bit!), cover and cook for a few more minutes (depending on the amount of dumplings being cooked). Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Yum! 

Dwaejibulgogi

This dish is one that I've enjoyed hundreds of times at Korean restaurants but never had a clue as to how it was made (and therefore assumed it must be crazy difficult and therefore should only be enjoyed in a professional setting). However, I was pleasantly surprised not only by how easy it was but also that I already had most of the ingredients in my cupboards. The only specialist ingredient is the red pepper paste, a common ingredient in most Korean food. While it may take a bit of effort to find (Korean grocery stores will have it for sure and many Asian supermarkets may also carry it), it is definitely worth it! Plus, it will last absolutely ages and comes in conveniently sized containers (I got the smaller version). I went with the mild option because I wasn't sure how hot it might be and I think I'm going to stick with it since it gives just the right amount of heat for me. I wasn't entirely sure on the number of servings you could make out of this dish since we served it with a few 'bachan' options (side dishes traditionally served alongside main dishes in Korea) which were really filling. I think if you were to have this on its own, then maybe it would be better to double the recipe for larger groups.

Recipe inspired by: www.maangchi.com

Prep  time: 45 min  

Cook time: 20 min 

Serves: 2 - 4 

Ingredients: 

1 pound of pork belly, sliced into strips

1/4 of an onion, minced

5 cloves of garlic, minced 

1/2 inch ginger, minced 

4 spring onions, chopped

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp soy sauce 

2-3 tbsp red pepper paste 

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper 

Method: 

Slice the pork belly into 1/4 inch strips and place in a bowl ready for the marinade. Place the onion, garlic and ginger into a food processor and pulse until minced and combined, then pour over the pork belly. Add the spring onion, sugars, sesame oil, soy sauce, and red pepper paste. FInish with salt and pepper and then mix to combine, ensuring the pork belly is well covered. Refrigerate for at least half an hour. When ready to cook, lay pork on a hot grill pan and cook over a medium heat, turning evenly.